Trust
by The Sacred and Profane
Summary: Even the strongest love can have a weak link. ReTi oneshot for fire mystic.


Trust

AN: I own nothing in this story. This is for fire mystic so enjoy. Please R&R.

Tifa opened her eyes and gave a quiet yawn, the clock nearby telling her that it was far too early to get up. But since she was anyway, she looked over at the man sleeping beside her, a man who used to be her enemy and someone she thought she would always have contempt for.

Yet time had proven her wrong and when Cloud had decided he didn't want to be with her, Reno had been there and helped her get over him. And now, eight months later, after confessing their feelings for each other , after discovering so much about one another, and moving in together Tifa couldn't be happier.

And one of the things she loved the most was to watch him sleep. He was like another person altogether when he slept. A strand of his hair interrupted Tifa's musings and she brushed it away, a finger trailing along one of the crescent scars beside his eyes. He stirred a little and moved around but didn't wake.

Leaving Tifa with ten more minutes of blissful observation before sleep once again came whispering in her ear.

* * *

The next afternoon Reno opened the front door and noticed something besides the pressing need for a nap. Tifa was sitting on the couch with Marlene and Denzel on either side of her. Both adolescents grinned at Reno while Tifa just gave him one of her content smiles.

"Barret dropped these guys off for the night but I have a few errands to run, you don't mind watching them, do you?" she asked, her eyes pleading.

"Of course I don't mind." Now Tifa's smile was more grateful and she kissed him on the cheek as he got closer. After telling the two kids to behave, she left.

"Reno, let's play hide and go seek!" Marlene exclaimed.

"And then laser tag," Denzel put in.

"Followed by charades!"

"Guys, guys, I'm really tired. So let me take a ten minute nap and then we'll do all that stuff and more, alright?"

Both of the kids looked a bit disappointed at that but slowly nodded and went to their "official" playroom with slumped shoulders.

And as Reno began his nap, he wondered if he could convince Tifa to have their own fun later tonight.

* * *

"It's not fair!" Marlene huffed, bouncing down on the bed. "He should play with us right now!"

"What can we do though, he's tired," Denzel said, trying to calm Marlene's anger. However it had the opposite effect.

"There's a lot we can do to get him in trouble for ignoring us," Marlene replied several moments later. She then got up and whispered something in Denzel's ear. The boy's eyes widened but soon enough he had a devilish grin on his face.

"Alright, that'll work!"

* * *

A piercing wail rang out a few minutes later and Reno bolted awake. Rushing towards the source of the noise, he saw Marlene writhing in pain, a large bruise on her arm.

"What happened?"

But before Denzel could answer the front door opened and Tifa entered, the boy running up to her.

"Tifa, Marlene got hurt because Reno wasn't watching us!" Denzel informed her.

The brunette quickly brushed past Reno and looked at Marlene, wiping some of the tears from her eyes.

"I...tried to get something from the closet and I fell down. It hurts so much!" Marlene wailed.

"It's okay sweetie, we'll get a Cure for you right away," Tifa soothed. Once her back was turned and she sent a furious glare at her boyfriend, Marlene looked at Denzel and winked. Tifa returned a moment later with a Cure Materia and Marlene thanked the barmaid, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Once Marlene said she was okay, Tifa told the two kids to wait in their room. Shutting their door, she turned to Reno.

"I can't believe you. I trusted that you would be okay with the kids and what do you do? You neglect them!"

"Tifa, let me explain I-"

"I don't want to hear it! And since I can't trust you alone with the kids, I don't know what I can trust you with. Reno...maybe it's best if you...leave...for awhile. "

"Is that what you want?" Reno asked quietly. Tifa nodded, not looking him in the eye. "Alright, it you want it that way."

The brunette sighed once she heard the front door slam and returned to Marlene and Denzel's room.

"Tifa, what happened with that jerk?" Marlene asked.

"He decided to leave...you don't have to worry about him watching you anymore. I'm sorry that happened to you guys but what do you say we play some hide and seek, huh?" The two children cheered and once Tifa had turned her back, they gave knowing grins to one another.

Their plan to get back at Reno had succeeded.

* * *

A week later Marlene and Denzel were again at Tifa's house and the two adolescents couldn't wait to start playing.

Until they noticed how sad Tifa looked.

"Tifa, what's wrong?" Denzel asked.

"You still haven't gotten back with Reno?" Marlene stated.

Reno had tried. He had called several times, making sure to space it out as he didn't want to seem too clingy. They had talked but Tifa noticed that she couldn't trust his words. After all he had told her he would watch two of the most important people in her life and look how that had turned out. Each time she had asked him for more time. And each time it hurt more than the last.

But Tifa shook her head at her pain filled memories and gave them both a small smile.

"It's alright, let's just do whatever you guys want, alright?"

* * *

And so the night passed, until after another round of tag, Tifa excused herself. And when she got back, Marlene and Denzel were positive that she had been crying. Guilt gnawed at them and Marlene looked up at Tifa.

"Tifa...we did it."

"Did what?" the brunette asked.

"We planned to get Reno in trouble, because he wouldn't play with us right away. He said he was tired and he would play in a little bit but we didn't want to wait so I told Denzel to bruise me."

Tifa's eyes widened at that and looked at Denzel, who merely nodded.

"I'm sorry," Marlene said softly. Tifa didn't respond, going to the phone instead and dialing Reno's number. After a conversation that went over the heads of the two kids, Tifa hung up, her eyes full of life once more. Bending down to Marlene's level, she looked her straight in the eye.

"That was a terrible thing you did Marlene, I thought Barret taught you better than to deceive people. But I'm not the one you should be apologizing to. So when Reno gets here I want the both of you to tell him what happened, understand?"

Both nodded.

"Do you hate us Tifa?" Denzel said after several moments of silence. Tifa hugged him then and shook her head.

"Oh Denzel I could never hate either of you. Yes I'm disappointed and yes I'm upset that you waited so long to tell me but I'll always love you, no matter what."

Twenty minutes later Reno walked through the door, a smile on his face for the first time in a week. Tifa let Denzel go and embraced the Turk tightly, whispering into the crook of his neck.

"I missed you..."

"Me too Tifa," Reno replied just as quietly. She moved apart from him a little and stared into his eyes.

"Welcome home Reno..."

The two children apologized after the young couple were done hugging each other and if Reno had been the man most of the citizens of Edge thought he was, he would have been cruel to them. Instead he merely smiled and accepted the apology.

And after that Reno showed the kids what a game of tag was really like.

* * *

The stars were out in the sky when Reno slid into bed and Tifa wrapped herself around him, not wanting to let go. And when Reno kissed her it added life to the fire that had been dying in her ever since they had parted.

Exhaustion took hold of their bodies an hour later and they started to sleep, still holding close to one another.

As early morning replaced the inky blackness of the night, Tifa opened her eyes. The empty space beside her was now filled and she watched the rise and fall of his chest before moving her gaze to his face. Reaching out a hand, she stroked his cheek. Aquamarine eyes stared into her own and he gave her a tired smile.

"I'm sorry Ti-" but she cut him off with a shake of the head.

"No, it was my fault. If I had listened to you instead of overreacting this never would have happened. I guess we weren't so secure in each other after all, huh?" At that he shook his head and moved forward until his forehead was touching hers.

"Yeah but that's part of being in a relationship. We won't always get along and sometimes one of us might overreact. But I love you Tifa and I don't want to lose you. Where would I find anyone else who loves to sing in the shower and puddle jump?" he teased.

"I don't want to lose you either Re. And besides, I know you like it when I sing in the shower," she shot back. "And-" but Tifa was cut off as Reno kissed her.

And in that kiss she found the trust she thought she had lost and so much more.

* * *

Several months later, just after Reno and Tifa's one year anniversary, Reno called Marlene off to the side after an intense laser tag session between Tifa and Denzel. Marlene was nervous as she approached the Turk, still not sure if he had been honest about forgiving her.

"What is it Reno?"

"Can you keep a secret?" And then Marlene saw the velvet box Reno was cupping in his hands, making sure Tifa couldn't see it. The brown haired girl nodded very fast and Reno smirked.

"But um...could I be the flower girl?"

"Do you think I'd let anyone else do it?"

A few moments later, Marlene ran back to Tifa and hugged her tightly.

"What are you so happy about?" Tifa asked with a laugh. Marlene looked back at Reno and he winked at her.

"Nothing...I'm just happy," Marlene answered.


End file.
